> The rules (as I remember) say that a shaman can call again a specific
> spirit if he simply kwnows the name of this spirit. So, is it possible
> for shamans to exchange or trade such names with other shamans in
> order to have a large source of spirits available when needed?
Yes, but why only shamans? They are lonely and never write anything down, so they are unlikely to do so unless they belong to the same cult. Sorcerers summon spirits, too, and since they are more likely to be organized in guilds or churches than shamans they are much more likely to trade or record True Names. Spirit names are important treasures of knowledge passed down from master to apprentice. Moreover, a grimoire containing the True Names of exotic otherworld creatures, possibly written in some obscure language, is a valuable treasure, much more interesting than the usual spell matrix or magic crystal. Imagine you find a GL treatise on spirits mentioning the True Name of a spirit knowing some spell that should no longer exist due to the Gift Carriers, does the spirit still know the spell? And would the summoning of such an entity summon the GC? Maybe one should investigate the subject...
Claude Manzato
> First, design a new system, as RQ3 is no longer avaible to chaosium. I
>would favor a simple one myself (about as complex as Pendragon) because
>I think new complex systems are doomed. A complex game has a chance when
>he is the first to cover a new genre. Now if you want to attract new
>customers you have to keep it simple.
Here I disagree with you. What we need is a system with tunable levels of complexity, where beginners and/or gamers who favour storytelling at the expense of realistic combat can resolve fights and incidents with few rolls, and experienced players who are not afraid of detailing what their characters are wearing over each bodypart and how strong is the section of their pole weapon which is closest to the enemy (me, frex) can find satisfaction without being compelled to turn to RoleMaster or GURPS (_too_ complex!).
The only problem would be keeping adventure information compatible with both the complex and the fast-flowing rules set, but it can be done. For instance, you can think of CoC or the Basic RPG by Chaosium as the quick-start set, and RQ3 as the advanced set (adding SRs, locations, skill modifiers, fatigue and other stuff for those unafraid of bookkeeping). With some adjustments, stats for one system can be converted for the other.
>DESIGN A SYSTEM WHICH CAN COVER
>BOTH NORMAL ADVENTURING AND HEROQUESTING, or 2 interlinked and similar
>ones from the beginning.
This is a major necessity, I agree. But it is rather a problem of handling high-level characters than of HeroQuesting. Most HQ systems I have seen are just attempts to make exceedingly high stats or skills lower in order to make a fight between 500% skill guys as playable as a normal swordfight. The real difference about HQ is how you change the myth, and this is not handled by means of game mechanics.
On the last two HQs I ran I used no different game mechanics, I simply added curious effects and exceptional rewards in case of appropriate actions and used Dorastor-level bad guys (including Ralzakark and Cacodemon). A party with 135% maximum skill level and much lower average skils could handle this without big trouble, the real problem was comprehending how they were interacting with the mythical reality. For instance, while in Hell one player used one part of the Lightbringer quest that he happened to know, hoping to find help against a powerful foe. But this only caused him to be betrayed by another PC, as per the myth about Orlanth and Eurmal in the Obsidian Fortress!
> 20% Myth (Stories, songs,speeches,,...)
> 50% Adventure (Small interlinked scenarios)
> 30% Hard data (Cults, rules, plans, NPC,...)
Good suggestion. That would be satisfactory for most gamers, including myself. Add good artwork and you should have a successful game supplement.
> Seems that background and marketing don't have the same weight.
Yes, as far as commercial success is the goal. But they need money to print good supplements, so it _is_ the goal to achieve. And I suspect there is a great deal of marketing approach in the forthcoming Gloranthan projects, especially in order to attract younger gamers. Which is good.
http://www.geco.it/~guccione ------------------------------
End of Glorantha Digest V4 #189
WWW material at http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren/rolegame.html
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